Rotary well drill



B QYT AVAILABLE COPYf March 3 J, ZUBLIN ROTARY WELL DRILL 3 Sheets-Shee1 INVENTOR Q4, X M

Filed Dec. 1922 ATTORN March 30, 1926. 1,578,623

J. A. ZUBLIN ROTARY WELL DRILL Filed Dec, '1, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR g4, KM

BY M 7 ATTORNEY March 30 1926. 7 1,578,623

J. A. ZUBLIN ROTARY WELL DRILL Filed Dec. 1, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 NVEN TOR Patented Mar. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOHN A. ZUBLIN, 013 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY WELL DRILL.

Application filed December 1, 1922. Serial No. 604,388.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. ZUBLIN, a citizen of the Republic ofSwitzerland, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles andState of California, hzwe invented a new and useful Rotary \Vell Drill,ofv which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary well drills,

and is particularly directed to that type of drill which, while inclosed or collapsed condition, may be lowered through a well casing, andwhich may then open or expand to a larger diameter to form an enlargedbore.

It is-therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rotaryexpansible drill capable of being lowered in collapsed condition througha well casing and adapted upon rotation to be expanded to a boringdiameter greater than the internal diameter of the casing.

Another object is to provide a drill of the above character which willat once perform the entire operation of forming and reaming an enlargedbore.

A further object is to provide an expansible rotary drill havingcooperating laterally expansible opposed cutters, constructed so thatduring their closing movements they cooperate to clean themselves of mudor clay and to provide a gradually increasing area for the reception ofsuch mud or clay as is not cleaned from the cutters. 7

Another object is to provide a drill of the above character havingopening and closing cutters cooperating with each other to limit theirmovements in both directions.

Another object is to provide cutters constructed to intermesh uponopening thereof to resist outward thrusts upon the cutters.

A further object is to provide cutters vertically and eccentricallyjournaled in the lower end of a body, and having up-thrust bearingsurfaces engaging the body.

Various other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent fromthe following description of the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this disclosure. and which illustrate a preferred form ofembodiment of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section showing the drill of the presentinvention in a well casmg, and with the cutters in collapsed or closedposition.

Figure 218 an elevation of the lower portion of the drill, showing thecutters in extended or open position. I

Figure 3 is a vertical section in line 33 of Figure 7.

Figure 4 is a plan section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan section on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a plan section on line 88 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a plan section on line 9-9 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a perspective View of one of the cutters.

Figure 11 is an elevation of the lower por tion of a drill having asecond form of cutters, the cutters being shown in collapsed or closedposition.

Figure 12 is an elevation showing same form of cutters as in Figure 11,said cutters being in extended or open position.

Figure 13 is a bottom plan view of Figure 11.

Figure '14 is a bottom plan View of Figure 12.

Figure 15 is a plan section on line 15-15 of Figure 11.

Figure 16 is a plan section on line 16-16 of Figure 12. v

Figure 17 is aplan section on line 1717 of Figure 11.

Figure 18 is a plan section on line 18-18 of Figure 12.

Figural!) is a second form of cutter.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 to 10 of the drawings, 1 designatesa well casing through which the drill, with the cutters in col'apsedcondition, may be lowered to position of use.

The body 2 of the drill, in the preferred form shown, conforms ingeneral outline to the standard type of drill collar, being provided atits upper end with a tapered screwthreaded box 3 for attachment with the.tapered screw-threaded pin 4 of the element of the tool string to whichthe drill is connected, and having a central water passage 5 extendingdownwardly and terminating near the lower end of the body. Communicatingwith the lower portion of the passage 5 are four radial passages 6 andcommuniperspective view of the eating with these radial'passages 6 arelongitudinal passages 7 bored upwardly from the lower surface of thebody to intersect the respective radial passages 6. The passages 6 arepreferably formed by boring inwardly from the outer surface of the bodyand subsequently plugging the outer ends f such bores by plugs 8 whichare prererably welded in place.

Extending upwardly from the lower surface of the body, are two roundbores or journal recesses 9 positioned on opposite sides of thelongitudinal axis of the body.

Into these recesses engage the journal studs or shanks 10 of therespective cutters or bits 11, each of the shanks 10 having a roundedgroove 12 cut in and extending part Way around its peripheral surface(see particularly Figure 9).

After the shanks of the cutters are 1nserted into the' respectiverecesses a retaining pin 13 is inserted in a transverse bore in thebody, said bore beinglocated so that the pin will intermesh with thegrooves 12 and retain the cutters against loss from the bod Tlieopposite sides of the body are longitudinally grooved to provide watercourses 14 promoting a better return or upward circulation of the mudwater past the body, these water courses 14 being aligned with thetransverse pin bore and provided with depressions 15 permitting theinsertion of split cotter-pins 16 through the exposed ends of thetransverse pin 13 to retain said pin in place (see Figures 3 and 9.) Itwill be evident that with this construction the cutters may be easilydetached from the body by simply removing one of the cotter-pins andthen withdrawing the pin 13, allowing the cutters to dropfrom the body.

The cross-sectional contour of the body portions of the cooperatingcutters 11 is clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5, it being specificallypointed out that the cutters are exactduplicates and thereforeinterchangeable one with the other. It will be seen that each cutterconforms somewhat to the form of half of a cylinder split longitudinallyand is disposed eocentrically relative to its journal shank 10. Theinner surface of each. cutter has a flat portion 18 extending inwardlyfrom the lead or reaming edge 19 to a. raised portion 20 concentric withthe cutter shank or axis of cutter rotation, Said raised portion havinga reversely curved heel 21 terminating with a trailing edge Byinspection of Figures 4 and 5, it will be seen that the raisedconcentric portions 20 of both cutters always remain in coengagingcontact; that when the cutters are in closed position, as in Figure l,the flat inner surface 18 of each cutter engages against the raisedportion 20 of the opposed cutter; and that when the cutters are in openor extended position, as in Figure5, the reversely curved heel 21 ofeach cutter engages the raised portion 20 of the opposed cutter wherebythe opening movements of both cutters are limited.

Therefore, the cutters cooperate in one instance to limit the closingmovements thereof, and in another instance to limit their openingmm'ements- \Vhen a drill of this character has been drilling in softsticky formation considerable of such sticky material may stick upon thefiat surfaces 18 but this will not prevent a closing movement of thecutters, as in the closing of the cutters, the edges 22 move outwardlyand tend to force any such stuck material from thecutters.

The upper portion of each cutter is beveled as at 23 so that in event ofan attempt to withdraw the drill from the well before the cutters havebeen collapsed or closed, these beveled portions 23 engaging thecasing-shoe will tend to effect a closing of the cutters.

The lower ends of the cutters are dressed downwardly to transversecutting edges 24 which are curved. slightly upwardly from a forward leadpoint 25 to a rearward trailing point 26, these cutting edges, when thecutters are expanded (see Figure 2), extending entirely across the majorWidth of. the drill to at once perform the entire operation of formingthe enlarged bore.

With the cutters in extended or open position as shown in Figure 7, thecutting edges 24 extend slightly backwardly and inwardly from the leadpoints 25 with their inner portions curved inwardly past thelongitudinal axis of the body so that in turning in the'direction of thearrow in said figure the cutting edges will have a shearing cuttingaction and will tend to urge the cuttings towards the center of thedrill where theywill be more effectively acted upon by the circulatingwater discharging through the passages 7.

It will be seen in Figure 7, that the passages 7 are disposed so as todischarge the circulation water both in front and in back of eachcutter.

The upper surfaces 27 of the body portion of the cutters provideup-thrust hearing surfaces which, by their engagement with the undersurface of the body, transmit all of the upward thrusts directly to thebody.

Referring now to the drill illustrated in Figures 11 to 19 of thedrawings it will first be stated that the body 2 is the same aspreviously described and that either type. of cutters may be removedfrom a drill body and the other type of cutters inserted.

For a short distance below the up-thrust bearing surface 27 (see Figure19) the cutter body 11 has the raised concentric portion 20 and thereversely curved heel po -1 LIA tion 21, the heel portion 21 of onecutter engaging the concentric portion of the opposed cutter, when thecutters are in open position(see Figure 16) to limit the openingmovements of thecutters in exactly the same manner as in the previouslydescribed cutters 11.

Below the curved heel portion 21 is a longitudinally disposed hookedprojection 28, it being intended that when the cutters 11 are in open orextended position the respective projections 28 will intern-.esh asclearly shown in Figure 18, and in such intermeshing engagement willgreatly strengthen the cutters against being pulled or forced apart byoutward thrusts exerted on one or both of the cutters. In the closed orcollapsed position of the cutters the flat surface 18 of each cutterwill engage the projection 28 of the opposite cutter (see Figure 17) soas to limit the closing movements of the cutters.

The blade portion of the cutter is curved in the direction of rotationand is dressed to form a lower cutting edge 24 extending rearwardly andinwardly from a lead point 25. The cutter body has a beveled portion 23similar to the cutters 11, and the reaming edges 19 serve the purpose oftruing the bore and guiding the drill, in the same manner as do thereaming edges 19 of the previously described cutters 11.

An important feature of this second form of cutter resides in itsability to function properly even in thick sticky material, this beingdue first to each projection 28 having a closer wiping action along thefiat surface 18 of the opposite cutter tending to clean said flatsurface, and further it will be pointed out, with particular referenceto Figures 17 and 18, that as the cutters close a gradually increasingopen area 29 between the two cutters is created so that such mud or clayas is not wiped away will have said area to enter without in any wayaffecting the closing movement of the cutters.

The cutters 11 illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 are especially designed tobe made of forgings and have sufficient stock to enable them to berepeatedly redressed, while the cutters 11* illustrated in Figures 11 to19, are designed preferably for being formed of steel castings.

In use these drills open and close for the same reasons and in similarmanners, the drill being lowered through the casing 1 while in closed orcollapsed condition and when below the casing rotated, in the directionof the several arrows in the drawings, by the usual driving equipment atthe surface of the well.

By reason of the construction of the cutters and also by reason of theirbeing eccentrically journaled in the body such rotation will elfect anopening of the cutters.

This opening will in part be due to the resistance offered by the waterand other material in the bore, and in part due to the contacting of thecutting edges of the cutters with the bottomof the bore.

From the above it will be evident that I have provided a rotaryunderreaming drill having cutters adapted to be closed or collapsed forinsertion through a well casing and which, upon rotation of the drill,will automatically be opened or extended to bore an enlarged hole, thecutting edges being arranged to at once perform the entire operation offorming such enlarged bore and of such construction as to have ashearing action as distinguished from a scraping action. Further thepresent invention provides cutters which cooperate with each other tolimit their opening and closing movements and to free the cutters of mudor clay and having provisions whereby such mud or clay as is not cleanedfrom the cutters can have no appreciable effect on the movements .of thecutters.

\Vhile the constructions herein illustrated and described are welladapted to fulfill all of the objects primarily stated, it is to beunderstood that I do not wish to limit the invention to such specificembodiments, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various other forms,all coming within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A rotary well drill comprising a body, and a pair of coengagingcutters longitudinally and eccentrically journaled on the lower end ofthe body to swing transversely from closed overlapping positions toextend' ed positions for fornfing'an enlarged bore.

2. A rotary well drill'comprising a body, and a pair of eccentriccutters longitudinally journaled on opposite sides of the axis of thebody to swing transversely from closed overlapping positions to extendedpositions and having cutting edges adapted to perform the entireoperation of forming an enlarged bore.

3. A rotary well drill comprising a body, and a pair of eccentriccutters longitudinally journaled on opposite sides of the axis of thebody to swing transversely from closed overlapping positions to extendedpositions, each cutter having an abutting engagement with the companioncutter at the end of each of its movements to limit the opening andclosing of the cutters.

4:. A rotary well drill comprising a body, and a pair of opposed cutterseccentrically and longitudinally journaled on the free end of the bodyto swing transversely from a closed overlapping position to anextendedposition, the cutters being formed to abut each other to limit theirswinging movements.

5. A rotary well drill comprising a body,

and a pair of opposed cutters eccentrically and longitudinally journaledon the free end thereof to swing transversely from closed to extendedpositions, the cutters extending beyond the body and having cuttingedges adapted to perform the entire boring operation.

6. A rotary well drill comprising a body having diametrically opposedjournal sockets extending longitudinally from its lower sur face, andopposed cutters each having an eccentrically disposed journal studengaging in one of said sockets, the cutters being adapted to swingtransversely from collapsed to extended positions and having their lowerends dressed to form substantially transverse cutting edges.

7. A rotary well drill comprising a body having diametrically opposedjournal sockets extending longitudinally from its lower surface, opposedcutters each having an cecentrically disposed journal stud engaging inone of said sockets and provided with a transverse peripheral groove,and a transverse member extending througli a bore in the body andengaging in the grooves of the cutters to retain the cutters againstloss from Y the body.

S. A rotary well drill comprising a body having a lower surface andprovided with longitudinal boresextending upwardly from said surface onopposite sides of the axis of the body, a pair of co-engagingtransversely extensible cutters having journal studs extending into saidbores and provided with up-thrust bearing surfaces engaging thelower-surface of the body, and means re-. taining the cutters againstloss from the body.

9. A rotary well drill comprising a body,

and a pair of coengaging cutters longitudinally and eccentrieal lyjournaled on the lower end of the body-to swing transversely from closedoverlapping positions to extended positions, the cutters being providedwith projections adapted to intermesh when the cutters are in extendedposition.

10. A rotary well drill comprising a body and apair of co-engagingcutters journaled on the lower end of said body to swing transverselyfrom closed overlapping positions to extended positions, for forming anenlarged bore.

11. A rotary well drill comprising a body and a pair of cuttersjournaled on opposite sides of the axis of the body to swingtransversely from a closed overlapping position to an extended position,each cutter having an abutting engagement with the companion cutter atthe end of each of its mentioned movements.

12. A rotary well drill comprising a body having journal socketsextending from its lower surface and co-engaging cutters each having ajournal stud entering one of said sockets, the cutters being adapted toswing transversely from closed to extended positions and having theirlower ends dressed to form substantially transverse cutting edges.

13. A rotary drill comprising: a body having sockets therein; cutters,each of said cutters having a journal stud in one of said sockets, eachof said studs having a transverse peripheral groove; and a memberextending through said body and engaging in said grooves.

Signed at Los Angeles, 25th day of November, 1922.

JOHN A. ZUBLIN.

California, this v

